


The Red River

by Fiamma



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexual Relationship, Canon Related, Eventual Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other, Pre-Series, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Acceptance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Strangers to Friends, Therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-08-31 16:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8586496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fiamma/pseuds/Fiamma
Summary: The Shimada empire has been destroyed and Genji's commitment to Overwatch has ended. It has been so many years he has forgotten who he was and needs time to heal old wounds continuously ripped up by his vigorous assault on his old home.His eventual journey to a shambali monastery leads him on a new path, guided by an omnic monk who fears he has made the wrong decision.Follows canon semi-strictly, introduces original characters as minor characters.





	1. Keep the cracks from cracking

He walked. And he walked and he walked. He was on his own now, and the world felt dull and distant after so many years in service. The Shimada clan had all but been destroyed, although some pockets still remained, his job was done. He could now watch from a distance as his former home fell to the chaos of instability and petty squabbles.

The dirt under his feet crunched with each step. It helped anchor him to the world, that little sound. Crunch. Crunch crunch. In its absence he thought he might just fall off the earth, but there it was again. A new one with each step. Crunch crunch.

If he had lungs the crisp morning air might’ve burned, but he felt only the strange whirring sensation he’d become very well accustomed to.

The cold didn’t bother him, under the layers and layers of various plastics and metals coating his entire body he barely felt a thing. Despite it, his hands felt numb.

A red river was flowing through him, it fueled each step as he felt his heart beat. His very real, very human, heart. Crunch. Crunch. The dam he had built up with his triumphs over the Shimada Clan’s empire, was cracking at the edges.

_ Hanzo. _

The name still left a bitter taste in his mouth, and the hatred that followed made him clench his fists and quicken his pace.

_ Hanzo… _

He kicked up a branch that laid in his way in anger. He yelled and he screamed as he kept kicking the sad piece of wood. He cursed his name and his brother and his fate. As it spun mid air he threw punch after punch. Drawing his sword it slowly disintegrated to smaller and smaller pieces. Finally, a spray of shurikens pinned each little piece of wood to a tree. His chest heaved, not due to lack of breath, but as his last attempt at releasing the emotions coiling tightly around his heart.

He stood there for a moment, looking at what he had accomplished. Sword in hand, he watched the sun’s rays glisten off the shuriken. He sighed and relaxed his stance.

He didn’t understand. Everything was jumbled up and he was caught in the mess. Tangled in the strands he felt like he couldn’t breathe, like he couldn’t think.

Reluctantly, he walked over to pull the shuriken out of the trees, examining each hole left in the trunks after the pieces pinned fell to the ground. He let his fingers gently brush over the last one, feeling but not feeling the sap coat his fingertips. He cursed and turned on his heel to continue walking.

Germany was not safe for him. Without the protection of Overwatch, he was nothing but a cyborg, a broken human. No better than an omnic to most. Staying in Europe would be madness.

For now, he was headed for Africa, where the view of omnics, and in extension, himself, was more sympathetic. He had fought so hard for his life, who was he to throw it away now, when he had finally had his victory.

The word made him pull on muscles around his mouth that he could no longer pull. Victory. A low rumble was emitted through his helmet as he grinned without teeth. To think that he, with the help of Overwatch, dismantled the entire Shimada empire. It was almost impossible to believe, and yet this was his reality.

He blinked twice under the helmet as the realization settled and the question of ‘what now’ flooded his mind.

He kept walking. His steps were light but heavy. Like his body couldn’t figure out whether it wanted to stop or run. Go back to Overwatch? No, there was nothing left for him there. It was time to move on.

He watched as the sun set behind the trees of the forest he walked into. Soon he came upon the path he intended to follow. Now that dusk had settled, it lit up brightly when he stepped unto it. The light joined him through the night, activated by his footsteps, he followed its path until the climate turned colder, until he lost track of time, until he ran out of what little food he had brought with him. All he knew was the path and his emotions. The coil tightened. As days passed he shifted between bursts of running and walking at an almost snail like pace. There was too much silence. He could never forgive his brother, or the clan. The elders were mad, the world was mad – what was he supposed to do?

He yelled at the top of his lungs and he sobbed quietly. The wilderness listened in silence.

He never met a single person on that road. It was old, from before the war, and he never once stopped to think that it was strange to still be powered up. It led through valleys and mountains, far away from civilization. This was a wanderer’s path, probably only used by wildlife enthusiasts or the occasional tourist.

One day, he stopped.  A full moon lit up the snowclad field that surrounded the small hill he now stood on. Above him a web of stars twinkled down, and for a moment he was convinced the small sun in the distance was just a mass of stars that had pooled into a lake.

Light stood out in all directions, sound and smells he had not experienced in months hit his sensors and a shiver ran through what was left of his spine.

A city, and a big one at that. He hesitated on that hill for a bit, weighing his options. According to the tracking system built into his body he was nearing Tibet, China. He spoke a small amount of Chinese but reckoned he would be able to get by with the English he had picked up through his service in Overwatch. He had no money, didn’t know anyone and … He stiffened.

_ And everyone will think im just another omnic, _ he thought bitterly.

Regardless, his feet carried him forward.

_ What do I have to loose? _

 

The outskirts of the city consisted of large walls, left seemingly unguarded, but measured an impressive height. Over 100 meters, he was certain, if not more. Genji scaled them with ease, landing softly on the snowclad streets below. The alleyway was dark, a sharp contrast to a bigger street curling its way around skyscrapers that he could glimpse just past the corner. He considered climbing onto the roof to overlook the city, but changed his mind as he breathed in heavily – as best he was able at least.

_ Just try to act normal. You are still human. _

For the first time in a long time, he felt uncomfortable in his own skin. He could feel the cybernetics pulsing inside him, responding to him, could hear the clinking of metal as his fingers bent and his feet hit the ground. Had he ever really taken time to listen to his own body after … Doctor Ziegler made good on her offer?

He emitted a low hum, almost in curiosity and rid his head of the thoughts that continued to press on. Building the dam higher, tougher. Nothing could peak through. No cracks.

He steeled himself, and stepped into the light.

His sensors immediately adjusted to the brightness, and he was relieved to see at least one or two omnics walking around casually. A sigh escaped him as he started navigating through the crowds. Memories flooded him, old habits came back and soon the initial awkwardness had all but vanished.

He considered what to do, for now he had just been wandering aimlessly, peering at various shops and people. At least two hours had passed and the night had now taken its hold on the town. Bars and clubs was bathing the streets in colorful light. He kept his head straight as he felt more and more gazes fall upon him. The nightlife had taken the streets, or maybe he had just wandered into a bad part of town. Drunks and nightowls apparently didn’t think as well of omnics as the regular people who had long gone to bed.

Their stares annoyed him. How did it bother them that he was casually walking through? What had he done to attract this attention? Couldn’t they just mind their own damn business? He already knew the answers to all of those questions and still a flame was lit in his stomach.

A hiss of steam released from his shoulders as he stopped.

 

“Hey omnic, aint nobody selling motor oil here” broken, mocking English fluttered through the air. He held his breath, felt the tension building. Laughter broke out. A high pitched female, quite obviously drunk, started chanting something in Chinese that he didn’t understand. Others joined.

He felt the prickling sensation at the back of his head. His hands twitched and then he felt it. A bottle shattered against his back. There was a second of silence as the pieces fell to the floor, clinking against the dirty tiles.

“I am no omnic!” he yelled with a ferocity that surprised him, whipping around, blade in hand, heart pumping.

He stopped.

If he had a mouth it would’ve opened in confusion. The pair that had thrown the bottle and the group next to them laid unconscious on the street.

_ What the-? _

Behind them stood an omnic. The slits that made out its eyes stared at him unapologetically, the little blue lights, shaped as a downward arrow, glowed in the night.

He readied himself for the creature to attack, but it walked forward calmly, kicking lazily at one of the humans as it passed. When it spoke, its voice was distinctly female.

“Nice lot, huh. Want a drink?”

He blinked underneath the helmet as it walked straight past him, seemingly unfazed by his combat stance. The heavy clank of its footsteps against the tiles managed to unfreeze him as he sheathed his sword and turned to watch it walk away. It took him a moment, but after much consideration, he followed.

They walked next to each other for a while, through more streets filled with humans that looked at them weird. No one threw bottles at them, and no one yelled or harassed them, adding to Genji’s confusion and wariness. But soon that died out, and they entered a new part of town. It was distinctly poorer and older. There were more homeless here, and, he wasn’t surprised to find, more omnics.

 

“You didn’t have to do that, back there” he finally muttered stiffly. The omnic gave a twinkling laughter.

“They had it coming, besides they were drunk enough to pass out anyways” she giggled.

She was much taller than Genji, but was of a pretty regular model, probably one of those once used for construction work, or bodyguarding. Her broad chest with reinforced stomach and neck pads made him think she’d gone under several rounds of augmentation. Her entire lower body was hidden by a half-sari of sorts, something like he’d seen in an old Indian movie.In his youth he had very much enjoyed those.. No. He had to clench his fists to stop his line of thought. No cracks.

Her upper body was adorned with little chains of gold or shiny metals.

She led him into a crummy bar populated largely by omnics. The omnic escorting him had to duck under the doorway to fit through.

“So, whats an odd-looking piece of junk like yourself doing in a town like this” she prodded, sitting down at a table and kicking her legs up since there wasn’t room for her to sit normally.

“Im not an omnic” he snapped, perhaps too loudly as he made several heads turn. He didn’t care to keep his head down, and just slouched over the table. The omnic simply whistled out a light tone, and he could’ve sworn she would have been smiling if she’d had a face.

“Careful about saying that in these parts, anger someone and you might just end up scrap” she teased.

“Or unconscious, as you demonstrated” he huffed.

A smaller, more regular looking omnic ducked their head over one of the small walls separating the booths.

“Hey, Aditi, this dude giving you trouble?”

A voice joined him from the next table over, his voice light and hearty.

“Someone messing with Aditi? More like whys Aditi bothering a fella like him!”

“quiet down now or I’ll have to do another demonstration for the kiddo here” she chirped.

“Im not a kid!” he interjected sourly, feeling strangely comfortable among the strange bunch of omnics. Aditi’s clothes almost shone in the dull light of the bar and they rustled delightfully as she turned to the bar.

“What are you drinking, not-an-omnic-boy” she tossed over her shoulder as she waved a waitress towards her.

“Beer” he responded, accepting the bottle as it was handed to him.

“Thank you” he muttered, then noticed the curious look from the human waitress and Aditi’s cocked head. He repeated himself in English, realizing he had said it in Japanese initially.

“That weren’t Chinese though” Aditi noted after the waitress had left, swirling the strange syrupy liquid in her glass.

Genji shrugged and brought his hand up to his faceplate, feeling the hum of the cybernetics as it released his face in a whisp of steam. Aditi emitted a low whistle.

“Dang so you weren’t kidding” she mumbled, putting a finger in her glass. The liquid seemed to drain through her finger tip. Genji put the beer to where his lips would have once been and poured down a small amount.

“Im not an omnic” he simply repeated, busying himself from the conversation by pouring down the beer in as big gulps as he could manage. The sweet liquid stung slightly.

Aditi gave a low huff, as if frustrated, and swirled her finger around in her glass.

“Yaknow, with all the green glowy things and shique, richboy design, I thought you’d be more fun” she stated. Her words weren’t harsh, but they still stung.

He had been around other omnics in overwatch, so he understood that they were distinctly more human than popular media, and his clan, had made them out to be. Still, he wasn’t sure how he felt about being scolded by one.

“Yeah well you wouldn’t be the first im a disappointment to” he quipped and did a small theatrical bow, as best he could with the table in the way.

Aditi leaned back, putting her arms behind her head. Her syrupy finger trickled a drop down her neck unto her shoulder. Genji’s eyes followed it behind his visor.

“And who would that be then, not-an-omnic” she asked, her voice curiously low. Genji couldn’t discern her emotion, uncertain how to interpret the mechanical undertone.

“My name is Genji” he sighed, tired and annoyed. “And it’s a long time ago, I’d prefer not to speak of it.”

He felt the coil tighten as he remembered his brother’s eyes. Stern and steeled as he raised his sword. The conflicting emotions, hatred, confusion, desperation. He looked down at his beer, trying and failing to read the symbols. He could feel the cracks in the dam, they cut at his fingers as he held it up, he wasn’t sure if it was drops of the red river or blood pooling at his feet.

Aditi simply shrugged, then looked up as a young human female walked up to their booth. She wore ragged clothes, orange and red colors long since gone pale with wear and tear. Her forehead was decorated with equally faded blue dots.

The first thing Genji could think of was someone cosplaying an omnic, but realized that cosplay likely wasn’t a luxury people in this region could afford.

She clapped her hands and smiled excitedly

“Aditi, Aditi! You still haven’t left?” her voice was cheerful, but hoarse, Genji figured from inhaling fumes.

“Couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to my favorite sugar lump now could I?” she answered, reaching out to ruffle her unkempt hair.

“Im leaving tomorrow, had to finish some business first”

The girl giggled at Aditi’s gesture, then sat down in the booth with them, reaching out for and started playing with the oil in Aditi’s cup. She slowly swirled it around, watching it stick to the edges.

Genji couldn’t help but think of how small her fingers were, how innocent she looked and spoke. He felt utterly uncomfortable around such a delicate creature and realized he had been pressing himself into the opposite corner in an attempt to escape from her large brown eyes.

“Will you say hello to the monkeys there?” the girl asked, addressing Aditi, but locking her eyes on Genji.

“Ive told you before, Eya, there aren’t any monkeys in the monastery, just other omnics”

The girl pouted, then pointed at Genji without looking at him.

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Genji. He’s very sure he’s not an omnic and isn’t from around here” Aditi chuckled. She put her finger in the glass as the girl played with it and sucked up the last bit before she could spill it. Eya watched with glee, then looked up at Genji. Their eyes locked. He looked down into the table and clenched his fist under the table. He used the other to pour another gulp of beer down his throat.

“You look awful” she giggled, coming to a conclusion after several long seconds. Aditi gave a hearty laugh,

“That he does” she agreed, humming contentedly. Genji shrunk and gave Aditi an annoyed stare under the edge of his visor, which only made her emit another twinkling sound.

Two of the lights on the right side of her forehead blinked once, and had he not known better he would’ve thought she’d winked at him.

Eya looked back and forth between them for a while as they sat in the relative silence of their booth. The general noise in the bar seemed lesser than of the bars he had frequented at ho- in Japan. He bit his tongue. Japan was no longer his home. He had no home.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as Eya shrugged and looked up at Aditi. Genji watched as they shared an embrace, fascinated by the level of intimacy they showed. Eya had small tears in her eyes as they parted.

“You’ll come back, right?” she asked, trying to hold back her sobbing.

“I always do, Eya, I always do” Aditi assured her, patting her back and watching as she left. Genji too couldn’t look away as her small form disappeared out through the doors and into the night.

Aditi let out what Genji figured was a sigh.

“She’s a bright girl, Eya, but around these parts she doesn’t have much of a future”

From the booth next to them a head ducked up again. Genji noticed two of the lights in his forehead had stopped working.

“Aint nothing good going to come of talking to little human girls and inspiring them to one day bring peace, just to have them raped and killed in an alleyway two blocks from here” he scolded.

Aditi’s power core started whirring slightly.

“Ah, didn’t know you were here Junker, thought I saw you over in the scrap pile earlier today. To think I was so relieved you’d finally gone out of commission” Her tone was measured, casual, but cold as ice.

Genji was taken aback by the sudden shift in atmosphere and sat in silence. He reached out for the lower part of his visor and tentatively put it back on, hiding his face, and his emotions, from the world.

The other omnic gave a dissatisfied huff, a strange mechanical sound and dumped down into his own booth without further incident.

Aditi adjusted one of the gold chains around her neck and turned her face back to Genji.

“Say, where are you headed? Surely you don’t intend to stay here?” Her voice back to the melodious, lighthearted tone. Genji wasn’t sure if he was worried or relieved by the sudden backtrack.

“Uh, no I was uh” he fumbled for the words – where  _ was _ he headed? Africa? It seemed so far away. “I don’t have a destination” he finally settled. Aditi hummed.

“Why don’t you come with me to the Shambali, then” she asked. Under his visor, out of the omnic’s sight, he raised an eyebrow. The shambali? The omnic monks? What on earth would he do there – meditate?

Aditi waited patiently for an answer while Genij considered.

“What are you intending to do there? You don’t look like a monk” He asked, fidgeting with a seam in his leg.

Aditi chuckled and struck a pose.

“Because of my striking good looks and incredible fashion sense?” she joked, then she leaned in over the table while pointing at herself.

“No. Im not a monk. But im going to become one, Ive been under the tutelage of one of their masters for years now, this year I will finally become a part of the brotherhood” she beamed proudly. Her enthusiasm lit something inside Genji he hadn’t felt for years. Something tugged on his cheeks.

“Say, I get you’re not interested in being an omnic, but you look like you could use some company, and its quite a way to travel alone for me as well. Team up?” she held out her hand for him to shake it. Reluctantly, he did.

_ What do I have to lose?  _

Some of his youthful recklessness was still there, apparently.

 

*****

He slept in an alleyway that night, guarded by Aditi. The next morning, they set out unto another snowclad path. The heat from the sensors had melted the snow so when Aditi started sprinting, Genji had no trouble keeping up.

“Since youre no omnic, how long can you keep stuff like this up?” her voice sounded, unfazed by the exercise.

“Longer than you” he simply responded, feeling some of the despair disappear from his mind as he passed her and continued full speed ahead. Behind him, he heard the melodious chuckle of the omnic as the wind whipped past him.

As he ran he watched the skies blossom into shades of red and orange, clearing out into peach, then turn a bright blue. The landscape changed from hills to mountains, their ragged shapes standing out as a barbed wire fence against intruders. Aditi continued ahead when Genji paused.

His chest heaved and small puffs of vapor escaped from the holes in his neck. He looked up at the imposing mountains where, in the distance, he saw the red and gold colors symbolizing the Shambali monastery. Aditi finally realized he had stopped and halted. She yelled back at him

“Scared of heights, not-an-omnic?” she teased.

Genji huffed and jogged up to her. She turned to continue, but Genji stopped her by putting a hand on her arm.

“Will they.. accept someone like me? I thought they only accepted omnics?” He asked. Suddenly unsure. Aditi just stared at him.

“Wait you.. you want to become a monk as well?” she asked incredulously. Genji looked down at the snow under their feet. He let go of her arm and crossed his.

“I .. no. Im not sure what to expect. Ive seen how others reacted to .. me and not everyone is as understanding as you have been and” he fumbled for the words, looking up at her. When she spoke, her voice was calm, it almost sounded like when she had spoken to Eya.

“No one will hurt you with the Shambali. You will see”

Genji felt anger well up in him. Who was she to speak to him as if he was a child? She knew nothing of the horrors he had faced, she couldn’t possibly understand what he had gone through, who he was and what he symbolized. He clenched his fists and turned on his heel. She was just an omnic, and by the looks of it, a young one at that.

“I wont be joining you, omnic.” He said flatly, then bolted towards a cliff face which he hid behind without waiting for her response. When he heard her continued footsteps clank against the rocks he peeked out to watch her continue.

 

Then he sat down on an outcropping overlooking a steep fall, and breathed in deeply.

He was a fool to think he could have found a place with the omnics. They were machines, they couldn’t understand. His own thoughts stung him like a mass of bees chasing him down.

He was but wasn’t one of them. He couldn’t be. He was human, through and through. That’s why he could still feel his heart beat, could still feel the way his nose prickled under the visor the way the air was pumped through his-

No. He held a hand out in front of himself and watched as the small, fine pieces of metal shifted and turned. There was nothing left of the human he had been underneath the machinery. He was barely a torso, if you stripped him of everything Doctor Ziegler had added to him. The thought of that scared him. How many of his thoughts were still coming from the boy from Hanamura, and how many came from the chip that made up a fourth of his brain?

He shuddered and felt a strange urge to rip off his applications. But he didn’t. What good would it do to throw away everything he had been given. From his ‘new life’.

He then realized who Aditi reminded him of. Remembered Tracers lighthearted jokes and pats on the back whenever he fucked up. Remembered her kindness when he fell, before he got used to being part robot.

He had been too engulfed in the thought of revenge to really appreciate it back then. Everything had been about results, about successes and losses. He shamed himself for not realizing the worry in her voice, just as he shamed himself for his behavior towards Aditi.

He got back on his feet swiftly, almost as if in a hurry, but halted once he regained his balance. His feet barely peeked over the edge of the cliff. Small rocks loosened and fell into the chasm below. The echoes of their collision with the ground sounded far too loud in his artificially enhanced senses, and for a second he wondered what a half human, half omnic body would sound like, impaled on the sharp ridges.

He took a step backwards, shaking his head, once more feeling his heart sink and his fear rise. It worried him, how he could come up with a thought like that so easily. Was it the last cry for help from the human part of him? Did his machinery want him to abandon this life in favor of living as a complete omnic?

Was it both, equally dissatisfied with their conditions?

He felt stuck and tired. How long had it been since he had eaten? Aditi had offered him nothing, he couldn’t remember what he had brought from the Overwatch base in Germany and when it had been gone. He knew his body could produce the minerals and vitamins necessary for his survival through the small chambers embedded where his livers would’ve been. With so little flesh, he barely needed to eat.

Regardless, he felt hunger now. He walked to the other side of the cliff face, and cast another glance towards the monastery.

Aditi was nowhere in sight, he would’ve been able to locate her bright red and green dress in the white landscape. She had probably already made it to the gates.

He huffed, and trudged around behind the cliff side.

Despite not feeling the cold, he would have trouble surviving in the barren landscape, and on the other hand, he had no other goals. Nowhere to go. He remembered Jack Morrison’s last words, the kindest he’d ever heard the man be when he wasn’t shouting drills into their heads.

_ “Perhaps its time for you to find a new life” _

At the time he’d shrugged him off, already in doubt and concerned and in need of freedom he could not have within Overwatch. Now he had all the freedom in the world, yet that only made him feel like he was floating into nothingness.

 

“You seem troubled, child” a voice sounded behind him.

Genji jumped back, drawing his sword in a fluid motion and assumed a defensive stance as he whirled around to take in the newcomer.

Another omnic, he thought curiously.

It looked pretty regular, the model seemed a tad old and it had a few dents here and there. In its forehead was nine blue dots aligned in rows of three.

Then he realized, it was floating. Hovering several inches off the ground. It slowly floated up and down in place as Genji watched it. its legs were tucked up against each other, and its hands were folded in its lap.

It seemed completely relaxed, just as its voice had been. On its lower part it wore simple, faded ochre pants with a sash over its stomach and cloth sprawled out behind it.

Slowly, it turned its head askew in a silent question.

Genji then recognized it as a Shambali monk, realizing the colors it wore were the same as those on the banners overlooking the temple and he promptly sheathed his weapon, and bowed.

More so out of habit than respect.

The omnic held its folded hands to its chest and bowed in turn, still silently awaiting a response.

“I am fine” he lied, turning his side to the robot.

“You do not appear to be fine” it responded, its voice seemed carefully measured and Genji had trouble deciphering whether it was male or female.

“Will you not join me and my brothers in the monastery? One of our students expressed worry for your safety and it will soon be night”

Genji glanced over the robot’s serene features, wondering how long it had been watching him.

He had already made the decision before the omnic appeared, so who was he to reject a direct invitation.

“I would like that, thank you for your offer” he responded, keeping his tone as devoid of emotion and as respectful as possible, despite wishing he had been allowed to make the decision himself.

The omnic hummed in response and led him through the snowcovered hills to the monastery above them.

 

****

He was surprised to find that not only the omnic monks inhabited the monastery. Although omnics clad in robes of yellow and red made out the large majority, humans did go about their chores along with omnics that didn’t appear to belong to the brotherhood.

When he was led through the large gate, he felt an odd sensation of serenity envelop him. Then he heard a familiar voice ring out.

“Genji!” Aditi called, making her way through the scattered crowds populating the main road towards the temple grounds. Her voice stood out melodious amongst the general noise and Genji felt his heart throb as he considered whether to apologize or play ignorant of his earlier insult.

“I knew they’d find you,” she chimed, then turned to the omnic that had escorted him, “Oh thank you, Yadira, I would’ve gone after him myself but I had to inform Master that I had arrived”

Yadira emitted a low hum as it floated past them, patting Aditi lightly on the shoulder.

“I think you should take him to your Master, since your admition to the brotherhood is complete, he might be lonely” it joked. Still Genji could not sense its emotions nor gender and that lack of identity irked something inside of him, although he wasn’t sure why.

Aditi put a hand on her hip, looking at Genji thoughtfully.

“Why did you come?” she asked, her tone suddenly serious.

It jerked Genji out of his thoughts of Yadira, and he crossed his arms in a defensive posture.

“They offered me shelter for the night, nothing more. I would not like to impose on their charity”

Aditi emitted what Genji could best describe as a ‘tsk tsk’ sound, then she turned and motioned for him to follow her. He did so without objections, and was led through a cobweb of streets and small bridges, up several stairs and then into a house.

 

Outside, she had told him to be quiet, so they tip-toed through the door opening and into a small room nestled in twilight. At the far end of it sat another monk, no different from the dozens he had seen walking around outside.

It seemed to be meditating, sitting with its head bowed and legs crossed, hovering like Yadira had. Around it sat nine orbs, also floating, in a perfect, even circle. At certain intervals some of the orbs would move swiftly up and down, chiming different notes and emitting weak pulses of energy. It was mesmerizing to watch.

“Master, I have brought the stranger I spoke to you about” Aditi’s words were quiet and soft, the reverence clear in her tone. The monk did not move, but the orbs stopped in their tracks as they started to slowly circle the omnic, moving further up towards his shoulders. Slowly, ever so slowly.

“Thank you, my student, may I speak with him in private?” the omnic asked, straightening his back as if he took a deep breath. Aditi nodded, something Genji thought irrelevant since the omnic’s back was turned, but regardless she left the room without further answer.

Genji stood awkwardly for a moment, wondering if he would receive a scolding for his recklessness, if he would be questioned for his motives or if the monk would try to indoctrinate him. He steeled himself, readied a response for the lecture he was about to receive, planned an escape when the omnic simply stated;

“You have nothing to fear here”

Genji blinked underneath his visor, confused. The orbs circling the monk had now reached its neck, settling around the machinery with a low hum. The omnic turned, revealing the same face as Yadira, yet its voice was vastly different. Distinctly masculine, deep, serene and calm.

Robotic, he thought. Very robotic.

The omnic gestured for him to sit on one of the pillows sprawled out in a half circle around where he had meditated. Genji reluctantly did as he was asked, and clenched his fists against his taut thighs.

“I understand your name is Genji” it noted, no doubt attempting to spark a conversation. Genji simply nodded, keeping his eyes fixed to the floor despite the omnic being unable to see where he was looking due to the visor.

“Mine is Tekkartha Zenyatta, I am one of the Shambali” the omnic introduced himself, his voice had a strange lightness to it that was nothing like Aditi’s. Weirdly... experienced, but not ‘adult’.

“I am also Aditi’s teacher. She has been a very faithful student” he continued, floating graciously towards Genji. He stopped a few feet from him and slowly lowered himself to the ground.

Genji still felt uncertain, and wary of a lecture, so he remained quiet. He understood this Tekkartha Zenyatta had some form of authority, so he felt it best not to anger the omnic, despite his appearance of calm.

The slits that made out its eyes stared blankly at him and for a moment they were both quiet.

Genji jerked away when suddenly the monk stretched out a hand and reached out towards him. One of his orbs gently floated onto his palm.

“May I?”

“What will it do” Genji asked, his body tensing up as he watched the orb bob up and down in the mechanical palm so different from his own.

“It will reveal to me whether we share some of the same feelings, and I will understand how to help you.”

Genji furrowed his brows, what could he have in common with this omnic? And what did he need help with? How would the ominc even know? Despite his questions, he did not object when the orb slowly approached him and started glowing a bright purple, bathing the room in a strangely annoying light.

The orb connected with his chest, and at once he felt the weariness and hunger tenfold from before. He gasped slightly, and immediately upon his display of uneasiness, the monk withdrew the orb.

“I apologize; I did not mean to make you feel ill” Zenyatta stated as the orb joined its brothers in the circle around the monk’s neck. The second the ball left him, his unease disappeared.

Zenyatta’s posture slumped and he turned his head away.

Genji watched as the orbs floated away from the omnic’s neck and slowly descended to the floor where finally they rolled up against the nearest pillow.

“But Aditi was right to bring you to me. I am too without a home.” 

Genji tilted his head in surprise.

“But is this not your home?” he asked before he could bite his tongue.

“No longer, I will be departing tomorrow.” Zenyatta responded

“Why?”

“I do not appreciate the direction the brotherhood has decided to take and will be furthering our message on my own”

“Huh” was all Genji could muster, unsure what to do with this information.

“Aditi brought you to me because she knew this, and she wished me to be safe” the omnic’s voice dropped to a low whirr and he folded his hands in his lap where he slowly stroked circles into his palm. 

She wanted him to be safe? What did he look like, some sort of personal bodyguard?

He pushed his inital anger directed at Aditi aside and looked at the omnic. 

He wanted to push him away, to run out of the building as fast as he could and never look back. He wanted to find a purpose to life, he needed to figure out what to do, he needed to-

He stopped as the omnic held up a hand towards him.

“Be calm, Genji. I will not bind you. But i believe what you need is time. I sense so much sorrow and anger within you, we might be of use to each other” 

Genji watched him, puzzled as to how he couldve known ..

His hands were trembling again, despite being of metal, and his head was swimming with questions, hunger and weariness. 

The omnic turned his head to the door a second before another entered, the orbs on the floor sprang to life to form the circle around his neck circuitry once again. 

The monk who entered was clad in white plating, quite different from most of the monks he’d seen outside. Most of his body was covered in a large white robe, intricately decorated with symbols and patterns woven into the fabric. Contrary to Zenyatta, he walked on both feet like Aditi, and was about Genji’s height.

 

“Zenyatta, may I have a word with you” he asked, his words strangely urgent but calm. Immediately Genji recognized the tone of a parent, the voice of an authority and something inside his stomach churned. 

He had to bite his tongue to not retort sarcastically that Zenyatta was speaking to him now, but before he had the chance to say anything stupid, Zenyatta put a hand on Genji’s, still trembling on his thigh.

“If my company allows it” Zenyatta’s voice was the same calm as before, his touch was not unwelcome, but still Genji felt his personal space invaded.

Before Genji could give his approval, the white omnic interjected,

“They will have to”

Zenyatta nodded, understanding something left unspoken and the white omnic left as quickly as he had come. The monk turned his head towards Genji again, and despite the expressionless features he sensed something heavy lying behind the two slits functioning as the omnic’s eyes.

“I apologize but I must leave you for now, will you join me to your temporary quarters?”

Genji simply nodded, standing quickly as Zenyatta floated towards the door opening. He followed the omnic in silence through the same cobweb of streets and was assigned to a small room where a futon was rolled out on the floor. Zenyatta bid him goodbye and floated past a corner before Genji threw himself on the bed.

He was still unsure what the omnic had asked him to do or what had even happened.

It felt like his fate was out of his hands, like the calm, serene voice had taken away his free choice.

On one hand he felt strangely relieved, the freedom of choice proving far heavier than he had realized before, and on the other he felt violated, angry.

 

He felt another crack, felt the liquid pour down his side like a bullet wound. Remembered the cage of his former home, how the sakura trees blossomed beautifully in contrast to the ugly he witnessed every day. _Had witnessed_ , he reminded himself.

That life was no more.

He closed his eyes, hardened himself, shoved the feelings and memories away. The dam had to be built higher, stronger.

He shuddered and let sleep take him, deciding to believe both Aditi and Zenyatta’s words that no one would harm him with the Shambali.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe I bet you thought Yadira was Zenyatta ~
> 
> Also, just to clear something up, Genji's view of Yadira is just how I interpret his character and does not reflect my views on ace or nonbinary people.  
> Im hoping to make Aditi a recurring character, but it'll probably be a while before we get to see her again after they leave the monastery.


	2. Tearing down the walls

“Mondatta there is no need for-”

“You can hardly be serious, brother, I must have misunderstood” Mondatta interrupted. He stood with his hands folded behind his back, face turned to the floor. The gold plating on his neck shone gently in the dim light.

Zenyatta sat in silence, still not past the door opening, with his hands folded ceremoniously in his lap.

“When we both reached enlightenment I believed the road would be paved for us, we have come so far” Mondatta continued. His voice trembled despite being emitted synthetically, and Zenyatta felt something tug inside him.

To see Mondatta like this made him hesitate, for the first time in years he was in doubt. But it was too late, he must walk the path he had chosen, as Mondatta would walk his.

But if he was wrong ... The thought of Mondatta struggling on his own.. Of what the consequences of his actions could lead to...

But if he was right, the chance to finally bring peace to a world so torn by war and fear? If he could inspire the rest of his brothers to follow his example, it would mean an end to the fear of omnics.

Zenyatta’s hands tightened around each other as Mondatta started pacing around the room.

Despite this internal tug of war, he was determined to retain his appearance of resolution.

“Please be calm brother, this is no attack on your course” Zenyatta pleaded, keeping his voice meticulously calm. 

Mondatta stopped in his tracks, the white robe whirling around his feet as he turned to face Zenyatta. He looked as if he was about to yell, when he finally sighed and sat down on the straw mats coating the floor. 

“I would feel lost without you by my side” he said. “It shakes me to my core that you would disagree with me on this”

Zenyatta felt his core throb at the hopelessness in his voice. He floated closer, lowered himself to the ground until he sat in front of Mondatta. When he reached out for Mondatta’s hand the other reached out in turn. Their palms met halfway and for a moment Zenyatta felt like perhaps there could be a bridge between them..

Then Mondatta shoved, hard. 

Zenyatta was taken aback and fell backwards, he steadied himself with the other hand as he stared at Mondatta. The orbs circling his neck had been shot backwards as if blown away by an unseen force and landed with nine loud ‘thunks’ behind him before rolling away lifelessly.

Emotions he could not describe surged through him as they sat there, both staring at the other in equal horror. 

Minutes went by. The only sound was the low whirr of their internal machinery. 

“Get out” Mondatta’s voice finally sounded. Tiny, pleading, but determined. Zenyatta hesitated before Mondatta’s voice sounded again. This time sharp as a knife, and Zenyatta felt each word like a cut on his soul.

“Get out, brother”

The addition of their familiarity only added to Zenyatta’s mortification. 

He was out of the room before he realized it, his feet crunching in the fresh snow. The streets of the monastery’s living quarters were barely lit at this hour of the night, so when he stumbled forward it was guided only by the small amount of light emitted from his forehead.

Crunch, crunch.

His joints squeaked in protest after not being in use for so long. Crunch crunch crunch.

He clung to a wall, uncertain how far he had run, shaking despite feeling no cold.

His mind was in disarray, unbalanced and in dire need of meditation.

Mondatta would not chase him out of their common home, he had no such authority. Still Zenyatta felt the gap between the two would not be closed by continuing to challenge the other’s world view.

But what of the stranger? 

_ He must be sleeping now, _ Zenyatta thought, turning his head in the direction he had left him.

He took the first, shaky step before he collected himself.

His next step landed midair and as he tucked his legs under himself, he floated forward.

Something rolled up behind him when he turned the corner. One by one his orbs joined him on his silent flight through the narrow streets, floated to gently caress his cheeks, comfort him, play around him like children. One by one they came back to him, until the circle was complete.

 

****

 

Genji was awoken by the sound of rustling cloth. His vision was blurry at first, but quickly focused on the bright red, sparkly cloth hovering inches from his face. He jolted into an upright position just as Aditi turned around.

“Ah, youre awake!” she exclaimed, the excitement clear in her voice, along with something Genji couldn’t describe. Internally, he scolded himself for not waking up earlier, if she had been an assassin he would’ve been … He stopped that line of thought immediately. 

Instead, he rubbed his eyes, wondering at what part of the night he’d taken off his visor.

Small strands of green hair cluttered the edge of his vision and he lazily ran a hand through it as he yawned.

“He woke up!” Aditi called to someone just out of Genji’s line of sight. The monk from yesterday, with the strange orbs around his neck, floated into the room. He was carrying a small pile of cloth, and, as Genji watched, Aditi folded the blanket she had apparently taken off him before he awoke and added it to the stack.

Zenyatta gave a small hum of appreciation and turned his head towards Genji. 

“I hope you slept well” he said. He sounded strangely happy, relieved? Genji shook the feeling of missing something and nodded.

The omnic thanked Aditi and left. She flopped down on the floor to be at eye height with Genji, and folded her legs as best she could.

“You should turn your speakers off during sleep” she said, matter of factly, “I could hear you chime through the entire night”

“Chime?” Genji muttered, “I dont ‘chime’”

“But I heard you, my room is right in there” she pointed over her shoulder to the wall apparently separating their rooms. Genji shrugged and looked around for his visor, he found it tucked underneath the futon near where his head had been.

Aditi seemed to accept his answer, and watched him re-equip his external face. Genji struggled to make every strand of hair fit within the metal carapace. 

She fidgeted with her garments for a moment, before she looked him dead in the eye, her tone serious with a hint of worry.

“So, did you decide what to do yet?”

Her question hung in the air as Genji considered. He honestly hadn’t given it any thought since the last evening, he had been too exhausted. Even now he felt drained and powerless.

“I might after I eat something” he finally replied.

Aditi gave a chuckle and got to her feet at an impressive speed, he mimicked her as she gestured for him to follow.

“Im sure some of the monastery’s guests have some to spare” she twinkled and started ahead of him. When he got to the door opening he took a moment to breathe and take in the scenery.

The cold morning sun gave the old-fashioned village an orange tint that for a second made him confuse it for gold. A few doors down he watched as Zenyatta emerged with a by now comically large pile compared to his relatively small size. 

For a moment he just stood there, admiring the sense of balance and grace of the creature before finally turning to follow Aditi. He turned the corner just before the pile collapsed over the omnic, utterly burying him and earning him several gasps from the surrounding monks. 

Genji was led towards the lower grounds, where Aditi informed him most of the human population stayed. Between the small old gates and walls he caught glimpses of herb gardens and rows of drying laundry before Aditi led him onwards. He caught himself marvelling at how simple life was here in the mountains, the only tech present seemingly the omnics themselves, and even they were mostly of older models.

When they arrived at a larger building elevated above the rest and open to all sides, they were met by the scent of what Genji could only describe as heaven.

Roast and herbs, the sweet hint of pancakes - it was enough to make his mouth water. 

Aditi chuckled as she turned to see his expression, and jabbed him in the side,

“Im guessing the smell is as good as the view” she teased as they went up the steps towards the small space where rows of benches was lined with humans consuming the first meal of the day.

Genji gave a low whistle in response and looked to Aditi in a silent question, uncertain what rules of ethics applied.

Aditi held up a hand to make him stop as she walked forward,

“Leave it to me” she said coyly.

She walked up to a human wearing a monk’s colors and bowed. Genji was too distracted by the smells and sounds of roast to listen to their conversation, and only snapped out of his hunger induced coma when Aditi poked him on the shoulder. 

He jerked backwards, making her hold up both hands in resignation.

“You must be really hungry” she laughed, before gesturing for him to go ahead, “Take what you will, they say they have plenty” she continued with a smile in her voice.

Genji wasted little time in retrieving a plate, wooden and worn, from a human standing near the firepit and bowed each time someone added to his plate. Once he sat down he put both his hands in front of his chest and internally muttered

“thanks for the food”.

Then he dug in.

It wasn’t long before he realized he had vastly overestimated the amount of food he’d be able to eat. When he looked down at his plate it almost looked untouched. He poked at it with a greasy finger, unsure how to not appear rude to the people who had served it to him. Meanwhile he enjoyed the pleasant feeling of being full. The warmth of the food had spread to places he knew he didn’t even have flesh, and made everything feel dull and happy.

 

It felt odd, being so calm. For so long he had been constantly on edge, for so long he had been constantly tense. There had been no room for error.

Now? He looked around at his domestic surroundings and found himself wondering how many of those surrounding him had ever taken a life. How many had ever seen combat?

The thought of that made him feel surprisingly lonely.

 

He felt a poke on his shoulder and looked up. Aditi twinkled and flopped down onto the bench beside him, leaning up against the table while resting on her elbows.

“I thought you said you were hungry” she teased, earning her a scowl Genji wasn’t sure how she’d see.

“I was” he said and poked at his food again, resting his head in his other palm.

“You get full quickly”

He shrugged in response. 

“What do I do with the rest?” he asked. Aditi chuckled and emitted a trickling chime, loud enough to make Genji jerk back. In the distance, his sensors picked up quick, small footsteps in the snow. He looked in the direction they came from just as three dogs of similar size rushed up the steps. 

Aditi picked up his plate and put it on the ground where the dogs immediately went to town. Genji watched them push each out of the way and bark to get to the food first. He swallowed.

They reminded him of two young boys, so eager to help their mother with the cooking, equally eager to taste the product. He would’ve bitten his lip if there had been any of it left, instead he just clenched his hand against his thigh. He couldn’t let something so small make it crack. He had to keep holding it in, he had to be strong.

He stood quickly, surprising Aditi who turned her emotionless metal face towards him.

“I ask for some time alone,” he started, then looked down at her, “Do you know of someplace quiet?”

Aditi nodded, and instructed him how to get to a small path that circled the outside wall into an isolated outcropping. Genji thanked her and nodded, bowed politely and set off. 

The voice of his brother echoed through his mind.

“You never possessed any true strength”

His heart churned.

How dared he speak to him of strength, he who couldn’t even withstand a bunch of elderly’s opinion. Who would kill his own brother at the whim of-

His feet followed the pace of his mind and before he knew it he was running. He bolted up cliffs and threw himself back down. His body twitched from the inactivity of the last few days and now it shot out in short bursts fuelled by his inner discussions.

He stopped when he arrived at his destination. A howling wind swirled around him, pushing him forward. For a moment he thought it was trying to blow him off the cliff, but when he sat up against the mountain wall it lulled to a soft breeze.

He crossed his legs and rested his head against the rock. His chest heaved from the sudden exercise and for a moment he thought he could feel his muscles contract. Then the tickle of cybernetics took over and the sensation was lost, like a snowflake whirling by to be lost in the snowstorm a moment later.

A tentative hand reached up to  touch his visor, tracing the sharp edges and all the ridges and scratches after many years of wear and tear. 

Then he pushed in on both sides of his jaw, and the lower part released with a hiss of steam and a hum of cybernetics. He squinted at the raw sunlight hitting him. Unprotected by the screen his eyes struggled to adjust. The cold prickled at his exposed skin, made him gasp as a shift in the winds slapped him awake.

_ What am i doing, _ he thought suddenly.

_ If I had stayed in Overwatch I would have still had a purpose. If I had stayed I would know what to do, I would have someone to help me. _

He closed his eyes for a moment to fall back into nostalgia. Tried to remember the happy times he had tried to suppress in his venture to be self-sufficient.

At the same time he struggled to hold back the flood. There wasn’t any small cracks this time, instead it felt as if the wall holding everything in was all together falling down on him. The weight left him breathless and he felt weak from the continuous stress.

He opened his eyes again and hardened himself, pushed the wall back to relieve his aching shoulders just for a moment.

Then his sensors picked up on something approaching. Small crunches in the snow.

Genji leapt to his feet, not in the mood for socialising, he climbed up on a ledge where he would not be spotted, and nestled against a the corner of an outcropping.

Below him, two omnics walked side by side, one of them floating. Yadira’s voice carried up to him as tauntingly neutral as it had been before. 

“Surely he will reconsider once he realizes”

Mondatta’s robes whirled in the wind as the pair came to a stop when they believed they had reached privacy. When Genji peeked over the side of the cliff to get a brief look of the two, he saw Mondatta with his back turned, poised with his hands behind his back.

His deep voice carried a feeling of despair.

“I am uncertain, brother. I have known him all my life and there is much I owe him.”

He could hear Yadira’s gears click as a hand touched Mondatta’s shoulder.

“He will see through your success. Once human and omnic is united within the Iris he will rejoin us in this better world”

“He believes we will only cause more death and hate. He is determined to walk his own path” Mondatta continued, putting his own hand over Yadira’s.

“Then he must be forgiven when the time to realize his failures comes” Yadira persisted, “He is our brother, and his betrayal hurts me as much as it hurts you. But we must look forward and be the voice of reason in this world. Think of the good our cause will bring”

Mondatta gave a low hum that Genji couldn’t really decipher.

He could hear how Mondatta took Yadira’s hand in his own.

“I think of it every day, brother. It is the shining star that guides me and it is why I will not let Zenyatta steer me off my course.” He turned to look over the snowclad mountains, stretching as far as the eye could reach. The serene white color seemed too sharp a contrast to the monk’s colorful robes.

“He will see reason, he is simply confused” Yadira finished and floated closer to Mondatta. “He may need time alone, but he will come back. You will see” 

Genji could swear Yadira’s voice was almost coy and it would have made him gag had he been able to. It sounded sickly sweet and smothering, very different from his own conversation with the creature only a day before.

They continued their conversation for a while, and Genji felt compelled to stay quietly and ignore as much of their conversation as possible. When they left, he stayed and fumbled through the new information of his prospective.. what, travel mate? 

He wasn’t sure. He hadn’t decided yet.

He hadn’t decided anything yet, and that worried him. Everything felt so loose and uncertain and he couldn’t get a proper footing through it all. 

He considered whether to simply leave without saying a word to anyone. Find something else, somewhere else, anything else. But what?

What did he want in life?

He pushed the question aside and climbed down slowly.

When he arrived back at the food court Aditi was nowhere to be seen. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed and he cursed internally for not trying to memorize the directions back to his room. Around him humans and monks was walking here and there in smaller groups, going about the day’s duties.

He looked around in an attempt to remember, only to feel even more disoriented than before.

He felt something brush against his leg and looked down. One of the dogs from before, scrawny and happy, wagged its tail up at him. He kneeled to pet it, earning him a wet lick across his lower arm as he scratched its ears.

“I don’t have any more food for you” He caught himself muttering. 

The dog walked a few steps then stopped, barking softly at him to follow. He did, tentatively, uncertain where it would lead him.

They walked at a snail like pace, the maze of small buildings in several layers continuing to confuse him until he caught a glimpse of a familiar shape turning a corner.

Genji petted the dog quickly, thanking it, before bolting off to catch up.

Zenyatta was taken aback by the sudden footsteps behind him, turning just in time to see Genji stop behind him. 

Genji fumbled for something to say but was interrupted by the serene-looking omnic.

“Genji, I did not expect to see you again” he said, surprise clear in his voice.

“Why not?” Genji asked, if not equally surprised.

Zenyatta folded his hands in his lap and looked away, it almost seemed shy.

“I understood from my student that you had left us already, that you had no intention of joining me”

It was then Genji noticed the two straps attached to Zenyatta’s shoulders, the travelling pack hanging heavy on his back.

“I.. hadn’t made a decision” he responded, fidgeting in the snow with his feet.

“Have you now?”

Genji wondered. Had he? Was that why he had returned from that outcropping? Did he decide without realizing it?

He shook his head and Zenyatta gave a deflated noise.

“I will be departing shortly” Zenyatta said, turning to leave, “I would welcome you to join me, but I understand your hesitance” 

Genji stood silent as he watched the omnic float away. He felt something writhe inside him, felt like he was watching something precious float away, a chance, an important decision.

But he felt paralysed, like he couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. It took all his strength to simply hold back the flood, threatening to erupt within him.

Droplets fell on his feet and bound him to the ground on which he stood.

 

****

 

Zenyatta travelled down the steps of the monastery’s entrance, thankful that he was floating as he was afraid his feet would betray him.

He clenched his hands together and forced himself not to look back. He could feel the eyes of his brothers in his neck, watching him climb down the steps into a world in which they only saw hatred and fear.

The stranger, Genji, had been an odd hope to him, and he was surprised at himself for feeling let down when he had declined his invitation. Genji owed him nothing, he was aware of that. Still he had been looking forward to having just one other person with him on his journey. He had never felt lonely before, but now he wasn’t sure whether the strange feeling in his gut was doubt brought on by the all the times he had caught his brothers whispering his name, or the times his students had disobeyed him in favor of Mondatta’s teachings.

Although they were similar to his own, Zenyatta felt the disrespect like stones in his mind. Weighing him down, shattering his self-confidence.

But he must remain strong. This would not be the first resistance he would meet, but he was determined to be a force of peace and love, unstirred by whatever ill-intent that might be spurred on by his actions.

In an act of defiance he continued to float over the rocky mountain path leading down the slopes of the Himalayas, although he wanted to get on his feet and sprint. Equally eager to get started, get away and to be out of sight and alone with his mind.

He felt it had been dangerously unstable for far too long, and hoped he would find a place along his journey to put it at ease.

 

It would take him two days before he found somewhere suitable.

Being an omnic, he had not needed to stop and rest for a moment since he left the monastery. His path had been clear, void of any humans or other omnics, which was as surprising as the cave he happened upon as he searched for a place to meditate on his decision.

The opening was hidden behind a collection of large rocks, that looked suspiciously  _ placed _ , as if someone had purposefully moved them to block sight of the entrance. The hole itself was barely big enough to fit two people side by side and shaped almost like a triangle. Zenyatta hovered closer carefully, peering inside curiously while sending out a discord orb to scout for animals that might be frightened by his appearance.

When the orb returned to him without sensing anything he dropped to his feet and walked inside slowly. His orbs trailed after him, almost hesitantly, he noted. 

He was guided by the soft light of a harmony orb as he trod through the darkness, seeing and hearing nothing but the sound of his feet on the earth. When he reached the back wall of the cave, he stopped and tucked his feet under him, once again hovering.

It took him a while to gather his thoughts. While he fumbled through the different views and opinions he felt his orbs slip into place around him in a circle. They danced for him as they always had, following his line of thought as they each gave out their own distinctive chime.

He finally let his soul wander, disconnecting himself from his body as he let his mind flow. The harmony within himself, all that he liked and was happy for, bowed to the discord. His hatred, his doubt and his pride led the other into a waltz as Zenyatta felt his soul flutter into place.

He was right, discord said, just as you are too prideful to admit it.

It is good to be away, hummed harmony, without conflict there can be no solution.

An orb chimed abruptly and then his meditation was disturbed.

“Would ya look at that, a lil’ robot fella” a voice boomed from outside the cave.

Zenyatta heard sounds of a struggle and quickly collected his orbs around his neck and turned.

The light from outside the cave revealed nothing but the back of the stones he had passed to enter, and his alarm grew as a cry of pain reached him. He hurried to the entrance, barely managing to dodge a shuriken that clinked against the rocks behind him.

He peered past them, scanning the area.

Three men stood spread in a triangle, one wielded a whip, the other two bats pierced with copious amounts of needles. One man laid unconscious on the floor and Zenyatta could already see the blood staining the snow below.

“Just watch, I’ve got’im boys”

Zenyatta watched the whip tear through the air just as a white and green figure dashed past them. It caught on the ankle and dragged the creature to the ground.

Zenyatta gasped as he recognized Genji, and reacted before he could even think.

Just as the two brutes with the bats closed in on him, a discord orb flew between them and started fizzing its aggressive purple, making both yelp in surprise and momentarily step back as they blindly batted at the thing. 

Zenyatta wasted not a second as he commanded the remainder of his orbs, one by one they flew at the attackers, with deadly, brunt precision they broke a nose, then a rib. Zenyatta moved from behind the rocks to better control their movements, arms tearing through the air, mimicked by the orbs that made the three men cry out in confusion. Genji was back on his feet now, and his elegance in combat did not escape Zenyatta’s notice as he barely managed to stop an orb from colliding with the strange man’s side who was already at the throat of an attacker. Zenyatta guided the orb back towards himself as one of the men spotted him and bolted to take him out.

A skull shattered and a body fell limply to the ground just as another screamed in horror as the hand wielding the whip gave a deep, bloodcurdling crack. One man ran, Zenyatta did not pursue. He would not deny a surrender. 

Genji watched the man run for a moment, his sword still embedded in his victim’s chest, then he pulled back a hand and with impressive precision threw three shuriken at the escapee. He fell to the ground with a gurgling groan.

They both stood in silence until finally Genji seemed satisfied and accepted that they were all dead and that the fight was over. He seemed almost a completely different person as he stood crouched over the corpse, bloodsplattered and tense.

He followed Zenyatta’s orbs as they returned to him, his head slowly turning to face him. 

“I.. Thank you” Genji said, the robotic twang in his voice calming Zenyatta strangely. The sound seemed to break the atmosphere, and Genji straightened himself and quickly bowed, then fidgeted, then finally walked the few steps between the two where he kneeled.

Zenyatta watched in wonder, uncertain what warranted this overly formal behaviour. He held up a hand and responded with the same voice he would to a student.

“Do not worry, I am simply confused as to-”

“I ask that you please let me join you on your journey and that you will accept my apology for my earlier refusal” Genji interrupted.

Zenyatta paused, waiting to see if Genji had more to say.

The cyborg simply sat with his face looking down at his knees, both hands clenched tightly against his thighs. As the seconds passed without a response from Zenyatta, he seemed to get more antsy, momentarily looking up as if to assess the damage.

Zenyatta finally settled both hands in his lap, letting his orbs float out behind him to allow him to lean closer to Genji. He put a hand on his shoulder, gently grasping it.

“I would be honored” He said cheerfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit shorter, and a bit messier, but I enjoy writing Zenyatta's perspective as well >___<  
> Oh well, looking forward to a lot more action in chapter 3: Swim with the current :D

**Author's Note:**

> First ever published fanfiction work so please go easy on me ;_;


End file.
